Echo of a Bell
by Utopian Moon
Summary: Based on 1st movie N Ship. Naruto is on a mission to escort the High Priestess of the Demon Country to save the world. Everything must go perfectly, but something will interfere. What will happen to the fate of the world and to Naruto? NarutoxShion later
1. A Mission to Save the World

Hey guys! It's me. so if you like my other story I hope you'll like this one. I got this idea quite a while ago, but I didn't write about it until now. I actually got the idea from the Shippuden Ending song #3 when they showed clips of the movie. So, I wanted to say that I don't own Naruto, and most of the dialouge is subbed from the movie. I'll edit some things, but I'll go by the book for now. Well, actually by the movie. Shutting up now and I hope you enjoy!

**

* * *

**

**CHAPTER 1: Mission to Save the World**

It has been a few weeks since Naruto had recently come back to Konoha from his training trip with Jiraya. Everyone was fussing and running about an important message that the Hokage had just received.

"Seems like we need a hero…like me!" said our #1 unpredictable knuckle head of a ninja.

"Naruto, what are you doing? They're calling for team 7!" Naruto's teammate said. "It's time for my grand entrance!" he said.

"EHH?! What the heck?!" Naruto yelled when Neji and Fuzzy-brows ended up on Team 7. Tsunade told them that Neji's in place of Kakashi and Lee's in place of Sasuke. Sakura and Naruto bent their heads down with grief.

"Tsunade-sama, you shouldn't mention Uchiha Sasuke." "They're still depressed about that?" the Hokage wondered. The Hokage then started explaining their mission.

"A ghost army is attacking. But they're only part of a puppet technique. They are being controlled by someone who's not human. Mouryou, as he is called, is a demon from anther world!" Naruto shivered at the sound of that.

"A long time ago, a group of ninja used the demon Mouryou's powers to create an immortal army and tried to take over our world. They were able to conquer several countries and almost conquered the whole nation, but the high priestess Miroku of the Demon country, invoked a powerful ninjutsu to seal Mouryou's soul in the Demon Country's Underground Palace, and his soul in a shrine in the Swamp Country. By doing that they were able to stop his ambition in its tracks. But now that Mouryou has been revived, he is using his armies to pass through the Demon Country and head toward the shrine where his body is kept. If he's bale to reunite his soul with his body and fully revive himself, there'll be no stopping him."

"What would happen?" Naruto asked.

"It would be the end of the world."

"Your mission is to guard the High Priestess of the Demon Country and take her to the shrine where his body is kept. She is the only who can seal away Mouryou's soul. And that's the only way to save the world!"

The team left out toward the country after Neji assigned them jobs. Naruto wasn't real happy when Neji sort of insulted him saying he was still childish.

Meanwhile, in the Demon Country, they were being attacked by four intruders. The young priestess had a vision of someone dying. Naruto, that butthead, decided to attack them first, while she escaped. Sakura and Lee soon followed while Neji went after to help the priestess.

Team 7 was soon formally introduced to the High Priestess after the whole fighting thing with the intruders. She informed them that she was uninjured and she was right about her predictions.

"I'm sure it was their true desire to protect me." the priestess said royally. Naruto twitched a little at the sound of this.

"Now you wait a second!" Naruto jumped up and grabbed her by the front of her clothes and disrespected fully pulled her up.

"All those people died for you! What kind of attitude is that?!" Naruto was dragged back by his friends and were ganged up upon.

"Naruto, cut it out!"

"What are you doing?!"

"Sit down!" they all replied.

Shion, the priestess, interrupted, "You're going to die."

Naruto took it as a threat. "Huh? What'd you say? I didn't quite catch that. Say it in a nice, loud voice!" he said angrily.

"You're going to be pierced through the chest and die!" she finally said, rather loudly.

~~~~~~~* * *~~~~~~~

Naruto got himself armor made of pans and metal plates. "Now I can change the prediction and save the world."

"You can't change a prediction." Shion said. "Actually, you're going to be beheaded." she said toying with him.

"What?!" Naruto ran back inside and put on more armor. "There."

"Keep it up until you die." she said, as she pushed him over. His fall hurt even more with all the heavy metals.

"Someone help me up….."

~~~~~~~* * *~~~~~~~

They headed out to the forest on their journey to the shrine. When night came they were forced to rest for the night because Taruho was tired and Shion had to sleep. Taruho decided to go with them and protect the priestess on their journey to the shrine. When they gave the priestess food, she whined and complained that she couldn't eat that kind of stuff. Sakura and Naruto looked at the fallen, wasted food.

"I liked that." Naruto said quietly pointing at the food. "Me too." Sakura agreed.

Shion headed for bed and everyone got ready for watch duty.

Naruto found Taruho and gave him some food. "Here, you'll need this for tomorrow. We're going non-stop tomorrow, so you'll need your strength."

"Many Thanks." he replied.

"So, uh… about those predictions…." Naruto said, looking down.

"Shion-sama is only able to foretell the deaths of those who serve her and are nearby." he interrupted.

"But can't you avoid death if you know how you're gonna die?" he aasked.

"No. No matter how hard you struggle, when fate decides it is your time to die, there is no avoiding it. However, all the objects of her predictions were people willing to give their lives to protect Shion-sama. I'm sure that Shion-sama would have died if any one of them betrayed their fate and tried to survive. As of fate, even the people of our village feared that they will appear in one of Shion-sama's visions, and try to outright avoid her."

"So that's why she's like that. She must've been lonely." Naruto remembered his own childhood of loneliness.

* * *

So guys, what do ya think? Review please and thank you. Don't be afraid to criticize! Thnxs again.


	2. Continue the Mission

**Hey guy, again! So, I know that the last one was not really that interesting, but I'm aasking you please be patient with me, 'kay? After this one it'll be better (I hope 0_o). Anyway, I don't own Naruto, or the movie this is based off from, or even the subtitles. The credit goes to its original owner. Thank you and enjoy!**

**

* * *

**

**CHAPTER 2: Continue the Mission**

In the morning, Naruto and the others headed out toward the shrine, but ended up getting attacked by the intruders again. Naruto and Lee went to intercept the invaders. Sakura and the priestess went to escape with Neji right behind. The other two attackers followed them and were able to trick them and Sakura was attacked from behind without any guard.

Sakura was poisoned and dropped to the ground but Neji caught her and went after Shion. The attacker used dark medical jutsu.

"Time to start the operation." he said

When Naruto was able to finally catch up to them with Lee, he saw Shion dead on the ground. But, it was actually Taruho. Shion came out and expained that her prediction was correct and Taruho died using Shadow Mirror Shapeshift to protect the her by dying in her place.

"Taruho was a fool. There's no need to mourn for an idiot who chose to die." Shion said with her back turned.

"You…" he said angrily. "And just who do you think he died fo-"

"Shut up! Just shut up!" she said and ran. Naruto wasn't finished talking so he ran after her. "Wait!"

"I said wait!" he said. "Taruho sacrificed his life! He threw it away. He did it for you!"he yelled at her as she ran up a hill. "And you won't even cry for him? Are you really that cold-hearted?" The High Priestess stopped to catch her breath beside a tree. "Don't you feel anything?" he criticized.

"Who doesn't feel grief when someone close to them dies?!" she cried. Naruto was caught off guard and was surprised.

"I'm not allowed to cry. If I did, it'd be an insult to all those who have died for me."

"Why?" he asked.

"Foresight is used to protect the priestess. The moment she senses her death is near, her soul separates from her body, and shows and image of her death to her past self. And at the moment of her death, she sees those who are with her at the time. They ask the priestess about premonitions of death, and believe they have to sacrifice themselves to save her. This is how the priestess's foresight works; by sacrificing others to live on."

"I don't really get it, but the visions are a warning that the priestess is going to die?"

"I might as well die… You don't know how many times I've thought that… But that is also not allowed. If I die, then there will be no one left who can seal away Mouryou. And the world will be destroyed. No matter how painful it is, I must keep on living by sacrificing others!"

"That's crazy! Why do the people of the Demon Country have to be sacrificed?"

"That's how it is. That's who we are. No matter how unfair it seems, we must accept it. This is the fate bestowed upon the High Priestess and my village."

"That's okay with you?" he asked. "Do you…really…believe that?"

She cried into her arms and kept her head down.

~~~~~~~* * *~~~~~~~

"We need to throw off any pursuers," Neji said after they buried Taruho. "Naruto, you're in charge of taking her to the shrine."

"Okay. Let's go."

A few minutes after Naruto left, Neji figured out that they relied greatly on an outside source for their chalkra. When the intruders were close to out of chalkra, Sakura, Neji, and Lee, found a way to defeat them. It was all up to Naruto now.

"There it is!" Naruto said after he found the shrine. "There's the entrance."

"Have you been here before?" she asked.

"No, but I got a feeling that's it!" 'What an unreliable guy', she thought. "Hurry up and seal Mouryou so you can forget about all that destiny junk!"

"Destiny cannot be change-" Naruto already jumped before she finished her sentence.

"Give me a break! I'll prove you wrong!" Right when he said that, the stone ghost army appeared. She sensed that Mouryou was near. He attacked one of them, while he carried her, but it pushed him upward, and she fell off.

'Will I live…?' the falling priestess thought. The ring of a bell was heard. 'Will I be saved again?' She opened her eyes and realized something. "If I die here, Naruto and the villagers…" She slowly turned her body facing the ground below her as she was falling. "…They won't have to die yet." She prepared herself, but just as she did, strong arms caught her and pulled her into his body like a shield right before they hit the lake. _Splash!_

Naruto walked out of the lake with the young priestess in his arms, with both of them dripping wet. He set her down up against a tree.

"Ouch…. I totally back-flopped…" Naruto said as he tried to soothe his aching back.

"You shouldn't have saved me." Shion said. "Then you wouldn't have to worry about dying. At least, not until Mouryou destroys the world." she looked down almost shamefully.

"Maybe." he replied. He took off his loose headband and shook the water out of his hair. Shion saw his face with a smile; a real, content smile.

"But…" he started. "I won't die!" He tightened his headband. "No way!"

"That's impossible."

"It is not!" he replied.

"Then that means I'm the one who'll di-"

"I won't let you die, either." he interrupted. "One of has to die!" she commented.

"Says who? There's a million different things that could happen."

"Don't make me repeat myself! Destiny cannot be-"

"I'll protect you!" he said up near her face. She was a little surprised at his comment and the distance between them and she quickly turned around.

"You won't be able to." she said, but how he said it, it was getting hard to believe her own words.

"Shion, trust me." Her face was still turned away from him. 'Why am I turning away from him?' she thought. "Trust-!" she turned around, but was caught mid-sentence. His back was towards her and his hand held a thumbs-up. "I have a plan." He turned to look at her.

"This time, everything will be fine!"

"Naruto…"

"Come on." he crouched down and offered his back to carry her. "Let's go." she hesitated but climbed onto his back.

"Naruto?" she asked quietly.

"Hm?"

"You promise?"

"You bet. I swear on my way of the ninja this will work!"

~~~~~~~* * *~~~~~~~

Naruto ran straight towards the ghost stone army with his Rasengan. His shadow clones were fending off the ghosts. One of the Narutos carried Shion in his arms and got her safely to the entrance of the shrine.

"Naruto…"

He looked back at the army. "Go! Hurry up and-!" Right before he finished his sentence he was stabbed through the chest by one of the ghost soldiers. Shion gasped and blinked her eyes, but her prediction in her vision was a little different. _Poof! _It was only a shadow clone. Shion fell backwards in shock and relief.

"What are you doing? Hurry up and go!" he said as he tried to fend off the ghost puppets.

She slowly got up. "Well, don't confuse me then!" she yelled at him, but was actually very relieved that he was still alive.

* * *

Soooooo, What do you think? WAIT A MINUTE! Please write it in the reviews section thank you. If you don't like this one, try my other fanfic. It might be better. But I think I'm going to make those 2 stories related in the end, so read it anyhow. Thank you again.


	3. The World, Safe and Sound

**I'm SO Sorry about the whole not updating for so long thing. I'm super sorry, I had writer's block and with all the tests at school, but lucky for me, I'm on Summer Break, so I'll try to update a lot more. Sorry again if this was really short. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the show, movie, or even the subtitles used in the last few chapters.**

**Enjoy Please!  
**

* * *

**CHAPTER 3: The World, Safe and Sound**

Naruto carried Shion out of the cave and soon met up with the rest of the team. The other team members were just talking about how Naruto always screws things up (like exploding the volcano), but still manages to make things right in the end.

"Hey! It's Naruto!"

They got out of the cave before the cave exploded up into shatters. They were well away from targeting distance, and were even able to see it from far away.

"Guess this is the end of your career as a priestess." Naruto said.

"No," the priestess replied. "There must be another one. I realized this when I was inside him." The priestess kept her face out to the direction of the terrain. "Mouryou was given life through the hearts of evil people. If a second of third Mouryou comes, somebody's got to be around to stop him. And they'll both have to be especially careful of genin!"

"Hm?" Naruto didn't get her 'joke'. Shion kept going on with her speech.

"I wont' blame things on fate or destiny any more. Being a priestess is my duty!" She turned to Naruto with a smile. "How's that Naruto?" He smiled back proud of her new attitude.

"And my power must be passed onto the next priestess. What do you say, Naruto? Are you going to help me?"

Everyone in the background gasped and gagged in surprise. Especially Lee and Kakashi with their hair on end.

Naruto not knowing anything (like he usually is) said, "Sure! I'll do whatever it takes!" while giving his thumbs-up and smile.

_A/N: This is where the movie actually ends, but I'm going to keep going. From now on, I'm dropping the movie. Sorry for the lateness, and Thank you for your patience._

"Naruto," Lee walked (more like ran) up next to Naruto and said, "Naruto do you know what you just said?" Then he whispered into his ear to explain what she said. Naruto's turned into thin lines and his hair stood on end.

"WHAT?"

Shion laughed. "Just kidding, Naruto." In her head she said, 'geez, he's so gullible.'

They returned to the palace of the priestess's home, and were ready to say their parting good-byes.

"Good-Bye, everyone," Shion said, "and I can't thank you enough to help make this mission a success. You really saved the world."

"All in a day's work." Naruto bragged, but it soon ended with Sakura punching him _slightly _in the gut. Shion only laughed.

"Anyway here is the money to repay you." She looked to a near guard beside her and he quickly gave them a chest full of money, gold, jewels, and other valuable things. The members were looking at it wide-eyed.

"I hope this is enough. Also, please send my most sincere gratitude to the Hokage. It was a wonderful success."

"Yes, of course." Kakashi replied.

"Woah, that's a lot of money….."

"Anyway, hope to see you again," Sakura said. After a few minutes everyone started to leave.

While everyone started leaving, Shion said to Naruto,

"Thank you, back there."

"For what?"

"Not only did you make this mission a success and saved the world, you also taught me something very valuable."

"And what would that be?" he asked.

"That we have the power to create our own destiny if we never give up." Then she smiled and hugged him.

"Thank you, Naruto," she whispered. "You really know how to change a person's life."

She let go, and he turned around to catch up to the rest of the team. A second before she was out of sight, he turned back to see her wave.

'You really changed my life too, in a way….' he silently thought while he caught up with the rest of the team. Toward home.

* * *

**Again, I'm sorry for the short chapter and long wait. Any comments please PLEASE review. It could just be a 'nice' or a 'you need to work on it'. Anything Please1 It will be greatly appreciated.**

**Thank you!  
**


End file.
